Manchester City Under 18s pay tribute to former team-mate Jeremy Wisten with RIP warm up tops

Manchester City‘s U18s team have paid tribute to the late Jeremy Wisten, a former academy player at the club, after his tragic death.

City’s starlets sported touching warm-ups tops emblazoned with a photo of Wisten ahead of their FA Youth Cup clash victory over Blackburn on Friday.

Wisten was found unresponsive at his family home by paramedics last weekend.

Manchester City’s U18s team paid tribute to the late Jeremy Wisten with their warm-up tops

Wisten, who played for City’s youth ranks for two years, was found unresponsive last weekend

A minute’s silence in memory of Wisten was observed at St George’s Park before the semi-final cup tie got underway.

City sealed a spot in the final after with an emphatic four-goal salvo in the second half – and will next face either Chelsea or Manchester United.

Defensive midfielder Hodge, who was named City’s Scholar of the Year in July, picked his spot from outside the box and beat Jordan Eastham with the opener on 55 minutes.

A minute’s silence was also observed at St George’s Park in memory of the academy starlet

City marked the occasion with a win over Blackburn in the postponed FA Youth Cup semi-final

Eastham had superbly repelled the Premier League outfit in the first half with a string of saves but would have been disappointed not to also keep out the effort.

After falling behind, Rovers moved into the ascendency in their chase for a leveller. Luke Brennan steered a guilt-edged header wide after a wonderful move, and the forward also threatened soon after with a miscued attempted volley.

Delap killed off the tie, however, with just over 10 minutes left to play and against the run of play. The 17-year-old, who made his breakthrough into City’s first-team this season, coolly tapped home from Cole Palmer’s cross.

And there was still time for City to add gloss to the scoreline. James McAtee netted their third before fellow prodigy Jayden Braaf thumped in the fourth with Blackburn’s backline reeling.

A number of the young City players who featured in the competition have donated to a crowdfund created to support Wisten’s family. The page was created by a close friend of his relatives.

Joe Hodge fired beyond Jordan Eastham in the Blackburn goal after letting fly from distance

Liam Delap (right) netted City’s second against the run of play after tapping home a good cross

Jayden Braaf (middle) punished Blackburn’s shaky backline with a fourth goal on 84 minutes

Raheem Sterling and Aymeric Laporte was among those to have paid tribute to Wisten on social media.

The City and England forward tweeted using prayer and rose emojis, while his team-mate said: ‘Horrible news… RIP young man.’

A statement from the club read: ‘The Manchester City family are saddened to learn of the passing of former academy player Jeremy Wisten.

‘We send our deepest condolences to his friends and family. Our thoughts are with you at this difficult time.’

The shirts were emblazoned with a photo of Wisten ahead of City’s FA Youth Cup tie on Friday

City and England striker Raheem Sterling reacted after the club made the sad announcement

Defender Aymeric Laporte was also shocked after learning of prospect Wisten’s tragic death

Wisten, a Malawi-born defender, moved to the UK with his family as a child and joined City in 2016. He featured for the club’s elite youth squads before leaving in December 2018.

United striker Mason Greenwood dedicated his first Champions League goal in midweek to Wisten, with the clearly-emotional 19-year-old falling to his knees and pointing to the sky.

He later took to Twitter to post: ‘That one was for you bro. RIP Jeremy Wisten.’